Department for Transport

Aircraft: Safety

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks posed by the Boeing 737 Max-8 airplane flying in UK airspace.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been closely monitoring the potential safety risk posed by the Boeing 737 Max-8 aircraft flying in UK airspace following the recent tragic Ethiopian Airlines accident. As a precautionary measure, on 12 March the CAA, as the UK’s independent safety regulator, issued instructions to stop any Boeing 737 Max commercial passenger flights arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace until further notice. Following the CAA’s Directive, the European Aviation Safety Agency published an Airworthiness Directive suspending all commercial operations of all Boeing 737MAX aircraft to, from and within Europe. The CAA are in close contact with affected airlines to minimise any disruption to travelling public.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Small Businesses: Technology

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of evidence that new technology saves time and money for small and medium-sized enterprises.

lord henley: The Industrial Strategy highlighted a wide range of proven productivity boosting technologies that SMEs can adopt. As part of the evidence gathering phase of our Business Productivity Review, BEIS worked with the Enterprise Research Centre to develop a more robust analysis of the existing evidence that the adoption of new technology by a business will save it time and money.The resulting Enterprise Research Centre State of Small Business Britain 2018 report focusses on micro-businesses. It concludes that the adoption of digital technologies is strongly linked to sales per employee, a measure of productivity. The report also sets out that adopting cloud computing leads to a 13.5% productivity rise, with CRM (Customer-relationship management) contributing up to 18.4%. The report also shows that E-Commerce adding 7.5%, web-based accounting software adds 11.8% and computer aided design (CAD) leading to a 7.1% increase in productivity.The industry-led Made Smarter Review highlighted how UK manufacturing can be transformed through the adoption of industrial digital technology – including Robotics and Artificial Intelligence – boosting UK manufacturing by £455bn, reducing CO2 emissions by 4.5%, and creating a net gain of 175,000 jobs. Government has pledged to make the UK a global leader in industrial digitalisation, and has committed up to £141m to the Made Smarter programme.

Oil: Trade

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the International Energy Agency's concern that a disorderly Brexit could affect demand for crude oil; and of the impact this could have on global trade.

lord henley: The Government’s priority is to leave the European Union with a deal that works for citizens and businesses, as laid out in The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration. The Government delivered in November 2018 on its commitment to provide appropriate analysis to Parliament with a robust, objective assessment of how exiting the EU may affect the economy of the UK, sectors, nations and regions in the long run. The spectrum of outcomes for the future UK-EU relationship would deliver significantly higher economic output than the no-deal scenario. The global oil market is widely recognised as a deep, liquid and transparent market in which oil demand, supply and trade can be influenced by a wide range of factors.

Renewable Energy: Investment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve data on the efficiency of renewable energy ventures, toaid potential investors to make informed investment decisions.

lord henley: The Government is keen to promote investment in renewable technologies. Whilst investment decisions are a matter for investors, the Government publishes a range of information that may influence investment decisions and this information can be found online.

Coal: Mining

lord beith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about the implications of the Paris Agreement for policy on the opening of new coal mines; what has been their response to any such representations; and what assessment they have made of the decision of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales to reject a mine application by reference to the Paris Agreement and climate change.

lord henley: We receive regular representations regarding the implications of the Paris Agreement for tackling climate change. In response, we are clear that the UK is committed to delivering the ambition of the Paris Agreement. The Climate Change Act committed the UK to reducing emissions by at least 80% compared to 1990 levels and we are phasing out the use of unabated coal for electricity generation by 2025. In response to the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C, we have asked the Climate Change Committee to advise on whether further action is needed. No specific assessment has been made of the New South Wales decision noting that planning decisions for new mines are a matter for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Hydroelectric Power

viscount hanworth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential in the UK for additional pumped storage hydro electricity generation; and whether such facilities can be accommodated within the capacity mechanism without the need for further legislation.

lord henley: We recognise that electricity storage technologies, including pumped hydro storage, provide an important source of flexibility to our energy system. We currently have around 3GW of storage capacity on our system, of which the vast majority is pumped hydro storage. The Electricity System Operator estimates that, by 2050, there could be 12-29 GW of total storage capacity on our system. Our 2017 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and 2018 Progress Update set out a range of actions to remove barriers to storage and ensure flexibility is fairly valued in our energy markets. Pumped storage hydro is able to access the Capacity Market in the same way as other technologies, though a number of issues were raised in the recent Capacity Market review “Call for Evidence” which we will be considering.

Aviation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that a disorderly Brexit could have on supply chains in the aviation sector.

lord henley: Both the UK and the EU share a strong interest in preserving the integrated supply chains in the aerospace sector. The UK has sought to work constructively with the EU to get the best deal for business. The Government and Parliament’s priority is still to leave the European Union with a deal that works for citizens and businesses. This would avoid a no-deal outcome and a cliff-edge, and ensure parts can be sourced from the EU in a timely manner. As a responsible Government, we are planning for all scenarios and communicating with businesses. BEIS Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry through the Aerospace Growth Partnership. Through this engagement we encourage companies to engage proactively with their supply chain to prepare for potential no deal scenarios. We are aware that companies in the aerospace sector are stockpiling essential parts to try to minimise disruption in a no deal scenario.

Biotechnology: Research

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to invest in UK biotechnology research projects.

lord henley: The UK has world-class expertise in industrial biotechnology and synthetic biology – the platform technologies that underpin the bioeconomy. These technologies can be applied across multiple sectors to achieve transformational changes in productivity and clean growth. The recent UK Bioeconomy Strategy is a collective approach from government, industry and the research community to transform the UK bioeconomy. UKRI’s investment in biotechnology research is principally through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which through its Forward Look for UK Bioscience identifies four broad areas where biotechnology will have a strong impact on our economy: sustainable agriculture and food; renewable resources and clean growth; integrated understanding of health and transformative technologies. Approximately one third of BBSRC’s total research investment relates to biotechnology around an annual expenditure of £110m in 2017/18. BBSRC is not the sole funder in Biotech research, other UKRI councils are also involved in supporting research programmes: Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst, Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy and the Future Biomanufacturing Hub, Agri-Tech Catalyst and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre.

Economic Growth

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit uncertainty on recent statistics suggesting slower growth and smaller investment in UK manufacturing and construction over the last three months.

lord henley: The Office for National Statistics publish quarterly estimates of manufacturing business investment and monthly estimates for manufacturing output. Latest figures for the third quarter of 2018 show that manufacturing business investment was 4.4% up on the previous quarter but 1.9% down on the third quarter of the previous year. Estimates for the fourth quarter of 2018 will be published on 29th March. Latest manufacturing output figures for January 2019 report an increase of 0.8% on the previous month, following six months of consecutive declines, though a fall of 1.1% on January of 2019. Looking at the more stable 3 month on 3 month trend output in the 3 months to January 2019 was down by 0.7% on output in the 3 months to October 2018. Business investment in construction in the third quarter of 2018 was up by 2.1% on the previous quarter though down by 13.5% on the third quarter of 2017. Latest output figures show that construction grew by 0.7% in 2018 and by 2.8% in January 2019, remaining at the record levels reported in the second half of 2018. External forecasts suggest that the industry will continue to grow in 2019 and 2020, led by activity in the infrastructure and private housing sectors.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Iraq: Minority Groups

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term political rights and rights to security of minorities returning to live in Iraqi villages on the Nineveh Plain; and what discussions they have had with the government of Iraq about (1) laws giving equal citizenship and status to minorities,and (2) the role of Iraqi courts and security forces in protecting areas which have historically beenpopulated by minorities.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We support the safe, voluntary return of displaced members of Iraq's minority communities, including to the Ninewa Plain. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa held productive discussions on this subject with representatives from the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government during his visit to Iraq in January. Given that security is one of the primary concerns facing those displaced persons wishing to return home, the Minister reinforced the importance of Federal Government control over Iraqi security forces and militias. We have also supported community reconciliation efforts and pressed for reform of legislation to ensure minorities are not marginalised. On 13-14 February 2019 our Ambassador to Iraq met with Christian communities in six towns across the Ninewa Plain to discuss their needs and priorities and to review the UN-delivered "Funding Facility for Stabilisation" efforts, to which the UK has contributed £23.15 million.

Sadaf Khan

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the kidnapping of Sadaf Khan in Bahawalpur district, Pakistan, on 6 February 2018.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the government of Pakistanabout the case of Sadaf Khan, in particular about ensuring that (1) the due process of law is followed, (2)her forced conversion and marriage is declared null and void, and (3) she is returned to her family.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are not aware of a report of the kidnapping of Sadaf Khan on 6 February 2018; however, we are aware of a report of the kidnapping and forced conversion of Sadaf Amir on 6 February 2019.The Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the forced marriage and forced conversion of Hindu and Christian women and girls in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of vulnerable groups, including religious minorities, women and children, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. Most recently, during my visit to Pakistan on 18 and 19 February, I met faith leaders to discuss issues faced by religious minorities, including the issue of forced marriage. I also raised our concerns about the treatment of minority communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during the same visit.Pakistan remains a priority for UK development assistance, with programmes designed to improve human rights and opportunities for women. The Department for International Development's "Aawaz" Voice and Accountability programme in Pakistan works to empower female youth leaders from Punjab (where Bahawalpur district is located) to challenge discriminatory social norms in their communities. Our Rule of Law programme in Pakistan aims to strengthen and help to build public confidence in the formal criminal justice system through more effective investigations and prosecutions of crime. Part of the programme focuses specifically on improving access to justice for women and girls.We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations to vulnerable groups, including religious minorities and women and girls, and to uphold the rule of law.

Israel: Palestinians

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the reduction in remittances of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority; and what assessment they have made as to whether that reductionis contrary to the Paris Protocol agreement.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is concerned about the impact of Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The Israeli decision will have significant consequences for stability and security, and will impact the humanitarian and economic situation for ordinary Palestinians. We expect economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the PA to continue to be fully implemented, including Israel's obligations under the Oslo Accords and Paris Protocol. We raised our concerns about Israel's decision with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 February. We also remain concerned about the Palestinian system of payments to prisoners and lobby the PA on this issue. But this is not a justification for withholding agreed tax revenues.

Algeria: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current understanding of the political situation in Algeria, in view of the protests which have followed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s announcement that he will seek a fifth term in office.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the ongoing demonstrations in Algeria and President Bouteflika's announcement that elections are to be postponed. We are following developments.

Sudan: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan to refrain from a violent crackdown on protesters during the state of emergency which he declared on 22 February and to work towards a peaceful transition of power.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: On 25 February the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa spoke to Sudan's Foreign Minister to express the strength of our ongoing concern at the use of violence, apparent lack of progress in addressing protester demands, and the decision to declare a state of emergency. We most recently made statements expressing these concerns on 26 February with US, Norway and Canada, and on 28 February alongside our EU partners. In addition the Sudanese ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office on 7 March to register the depth of our ongoing concern. We will continue to urge the Government of Sudan to respect the Sudanese people's right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and to make political reforms that address the legitimate concerns of the protestors.

Hezbollah

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on UK–Lebanese diplomatic relations as a result of the decision to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government has proscribed Hezbollah's military and security wings since 2008, and has long had a no contact policy with the entirety of the organisation. The Home Secretary was clear in his statement to the Commons that our support for Lebanon will remain unaffected by the decision to extend proscription. We remain committed to the security and economic stability of Lebanon and the region, and continue to work closely with our Lebanese partners towards these goals. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa visited Lebanon last week where he underlined the UK's commitment to supporting Lebanon.

Peter Ajak

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to secure the release of Peter Biar Ajak, who has been detained without trial in South Sudan since July 2018.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government remains concerned by the continued detention of political detainees in South Sudan. We continue to urge the release of all such detainees as part of the implementation of the 12 September peace agreement. We have raised Mr Biar's case with the Government of South Sudan; calling for immediate release, for due process, and access to legal representation. We are aware of recent reports of charges being brought against Mr Biar. To reinforce the importance we place on due process and transparency, UK officials will attend hearings where possible and we will encourage our international partners to do so too.

Sayed Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether representatives from the British Embassy in Manama attended the final hearing of the case against three family members of exiled political activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei; and if so, what assessment they made of the conduct of that trial.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of and continue to monitor the three cases raised in your question and officials from our Embassy in Manama attended their court session.We encourage those with concerns to report these to the appropriate Bahrain human rights oversight bodies and also encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the government of Bahrain about the suspension by Isa Town Prison of female political prisoners’ ability to make phone calls to their families.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report them to the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such concerns or allegations.

Hajer Mansoor Hassan

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Middle East on 27 February (HC223509), whether they will make representations to the government of Bahrain about the access of political prisoner Hajer Mansoor Hassan to medical care; and what assessment they have made of reports that Ms Mansoor is being denied access to treatment she is entitled to under the constitution of Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Embassy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to follow the case of Ms Mansoor and have raised the issue of access to medical care with the Government of Bahrain at a senior level.The Government of Bahrain have given categorical assurances that Ms Mansoor has received medical treatment and will continue to receive access to appropriate medical care, as guaranteed by the constitution of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report them to the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such concerns or allegations.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about that country’s use of the death penalty.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is the UK's long-standing policy to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and the Government of Bahrain are fully aware of our position.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to raise concerns about the human rights situation in Bahrain at the 40th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, including in relation to that country’s (1) use of the death penalty, (2) revocation of the nationality of political dissidents, and (3) reprisals against human rights defenders.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the commitment from Bahrain to work with the UN system and encourage them and the incoming UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to open a constructive dialogue to explore how better they can work together.The depth and breadth of our relationship with Bahrain means we can, and do, express our concerns about human rights in a frank and open way at senior levels.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Communication UA BHR 6/2018 sent by three UN Special Rapporteurs on 11 December 2018 regarding information they had received concerning the imposition of the death penalty and the conduct of trials in Bahrain; and what assessment they have made of the investigation of the allegations outlined in that Communication.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the report sent by UN Special Rapporteurs in December 2018. The British Government takes note of a number of sources of information on these issues; including publications by the UN. We continue to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the government of Israel following reports of the use of army attack dogs against unarmed Palestinian civilians in their homes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli Government. In our dialogue with the Israeli authorities we have recognised their legitimate need to deploy security measures to address violence. We encourage them to deploy these in a way which minimises tension and use appropriate force. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to government of Israel regarding the reported use of tear gas on Palestinian workers within the confines of Checkpoint 300.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. We recognise the Israeli authorities' legitimate need to deploy security measures in some circumstances, but we have encouraged them to avoid excessive use of force and to act in a way which minimises tensions. When there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have urged the Israeli authorities to conduct swift and transparent investigations.

Saudi Arabia: Detainees

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of detainees that remain in detention as part of the government of Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption drive; where those detainees are being held; and what assessment they have made of whether an appropriate judicial process is being followed.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand from media reports at least 56 people remain under investigation. We maintain investigations must be fairly conducted and comply with international standards.

China: Dead Bodies

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted any investigations into the origin of the plastinated bodies from China exhibited in the Real Bodies exhibition displayed in Birmingham in 2018; if so, whether they were satisfied with the documentation presented to them; and if not, why not.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is aware of the technique to plastinate human bodies exported from China for exhibition and for medical research. We have not made inquiries with the Chinese or other governments on this matter but continue to monitor media coverage.In the case of the exhibition in Birmingham, the UK Human Tissue Authority ensured that it met licensing standards, and licensed the exhibition in line with the law. We have no evidence to suggest that the exhibition contained the cadavers of political or other prisoners from China.

China: Prisoners

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have madeof evidence suggesting that between 60,000 and 100,000 transplants are performed annually throughout China predominately from Falun Gong prisoners of conscience.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The British Government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, said in a Westminster Hall debate in October 2016: "Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of "organ harvesting" is definitely happening in China."The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.We have not discussed the role of Dr Jiefu Huang with the WHO.We will continue to review any new evidence that is presented to us.

China: Dead Bodies

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government Switzerlandabout the complaint made by Action of Christians Against Torture against the Lausanne Real Human Bodies exhibition suggesting that the bodies used inthat exhibition were likely to be those of Chinese prisoners who were tortured or executed members of the Falun Gong movement.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is aware of the technique to plastinate human bodies exported from China for exhibition and for medical research. We have not made inquiries with the Chinese or other governments on this matter but continue to monitor media coverage.We have no evidence to suggest that the exhibition contained the cadavers of political or other prisoners from China.

China: Transplant Surgery

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of advice from the World Health Organization that China is implementing an ethical and voluntary organ transplant system.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The British Government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.As the Minister for Europe and the Americas said in a Westminster Hall debate in October 2016: "Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of "organ harvesting" is definitely happening in China."The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.We have not discussed the role of Dr Jiefu Huang with the WHO.We will continue to review any new evidence that is presented to us.

China: Transplant Surgery

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or intend to have, with the World Health Organisation about the possible conflict of interestof Dr Jiefu Huang in his role as a senior transplant official in China and as a member of the World Health Organisation’s Task Force for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The British Government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.As the Minister for Europe and the Americas said in a Westminster Hall debate in October 2016: "Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of "organ harvesting" is definitely happening in China."The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.We have not discussed the role of Dr Jiefu Huang with the WHO.We will continue to review any new evidence that is presented to us.

Department of Health and Social Care

Friarage Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure patient safety in rural North Yorkshire following the closure of the Accident and Emergency department of the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton.

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of closures of Accident and Emergency departments in hospitals in rural areas on (1) the size of the areas that ambulance services have to cover, (2) the response times for ambulance services, and (3) the number of ambulances and crew required.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The accident and emergency (A&E) department at the Friarage Hospital is not closing but transforming into a 24 hours, seven days a week urgent treatment centre (UTC) in line with clinical guidance. The UTC will be able to see all patients with minor illnesses and minor injuries. It is the responsibility of local National Health Service organisations, when making decisions on service changes, to fully consider any impact on patients. Commissioners also have to consider any impact on health inequalities, including those in rural areas, and the NHS Long Term Plan commits to developing a delivery model for small rural acute hospitals to ensure sustainable and efficient service delivery. However, the vast majority of the services at the Friarage Hospital will remain unchanged with 89% of patients unaffected by these changes. Patients with serious medical conditions, such as those suffering from a stroke, heart attack and/or trauma already go directly to James Cook University Hospital. There are robust plans in place to ensure patient safety. In future, a medical consultant will review all emergency cases prior to arrival, via a telephone triage with the ambulance team or general practitioner. More seriously ill patients will be diverted to appropriate hospital sites, typically James Cook or Darlington Memorial. This decision will be based on patient need and the patient’s home location. Where appropriate, patients will be returned to the Friarage once their condition has improved, for the remainder of their hospital stay. Neither the Department nor NHS England have conducted an assessment of the impact of closures of A&E departments on ambulance services in rural areas.

Department for Education

Music: Curriculum

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that a broad and balanced curriculum which includes music at Key Stage 3 is delivered across all schools.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education Music Education: State of the Nation, published on 4 February, that found that there has been a fall in the proportion of GCSE entries in Music of 16.66per cent since 2014–15; and what plans they have to addressthat fall.

lord agnew of oulton: All state-funded schools are required to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. Ofsted is currently undertaking a consultation on its proposed new education inspection framework. The consultation runs until 5 April. Under its proposals, inspectors will assess the extent to which schools are providing a broad and balanced curriculum for their pupils. We are aware of the All-Party Parliamentary Group's report. The number of secondary aged children in state-funded schools has decreased over time so it is not surprising that the overall number of children taking GCSE music has reduced. Since 2010, the proportion of pupils taking GCSE music has fluctuated but remained broadly stable, ranging between 6% and 7%.

Universities: Admissions

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 28 February (HL13946), whether there are regulations that cover the reversal of prior conditional offers of places to students who were subsequently deemed to have satisfied previously advertised admissions criteria for their intended course; if so, what they are; and whether recommendations were made to the Office for Students to the effect that students whose offer of a place on their intended course had been reversed should instead be unconditionally offered a place on a different course at the same institution, for which the student concerned had not originally applied.

viscount younger of leckie: There are no such regulations, and no recommendations have been made to the Office for Students (OfS) to that effect.In relation to undergraduate admissions, once an offer has been made and accepted by a prospective student, a contract is formed between the higher education provider and the student. This is certainly the view of the Competition and Markets Authority, as set out on page 31 of its guidance to higher education providers on consumer law dated 12 March 2015, and it is already a condition of registration imposed by the OfS that registered providers must give due regard to relevant guidance on how to comply with consumer law. Given this, we do not see the need for any additional regulation to protect students against the potential withdrawal of an offer they have already accepted.

Music: Education

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of music education hubs.

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to re-evaluatethe quality of the work provided by music education hubs.

lord wallace of saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the resources available to music education hubs.

lord agnew of oulton: The work of music education hubs is evaluated in an annual report by Birmingham City University and published by Arts Council England. The most recent report, attached, was published in October 2018. It shows that the hubs taught over 700,000 children to play a musical instrument, as part of whole class ensemble teaching, in 2016-17. The hubs provided individual lessons for over 157,000 children, lessons in small groups for over 238,000 children and lessons in larger groups for over 145,000 children. They also supported or delivered over 16,000 musical ensembles.We are refreshing the National Plan for Music Education and, as part of this, we will be considering the roles of the music education hubs and how best their work should be evaluated.Earlier this year, we announced additional funding for music education hubs, providing them with an extra £490,000 for 2018-19 and an additional £840,000 for 2019-20. The increases in funding recognise a range of pressures on hubs, including pressures linked to teacher pay. The department’s public consultation to gather evidence on the impact of increased contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) for all TPS employers, which included the initial proposal to fund music education hubs for 2019-20, closed on 12 February 2019. Final funding decisions will be made in due course when consultation evidence has been reviewed. Funding for music education hubs beyond March 2020 is a matter for the forthcoming Spending Review. 



HL14229_HL14230_HL14231_Music_Ed_Hubs_2017
(PDF Document, 4.48 MB)

Parkfield Community School Birmingham

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports that parents have withdrawn their children from Parkfield Community School in Alum Rock, Birmingham, what steps they have taken to ensure that pupils who have been withdrawn receive an adequate education whilst not attending school.

lord agnew of oulton: The department is actively engaged in the situation at Parkfield Community School, where parents are objecting to an educational programme, No Outsiders, which contains elements of teaching around lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. Senior officials from the Regional School Commissioner’s Office have been on site regularly since the start of this issue and have facilitated conversations between the community, the academy and Excelsior Multi Academy Trust. They are already working closely with the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill, Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Education Partnership to resolve the conflict and, as such, end pupil absences as soon as possible.At this stage the department believes no extra provision is required, however every extra day of school missed can have a negative impact on pupils’ education; there must therefore be a good reason to take them out of school. The department is working with the school and its parents to find a solution.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the withdrawal of pupils from Parkfield School because their parents did not want them to attend lessons about LGBT rights and homophobia, what consideration they have given to suspending the requirement for such lessons in order to carry out a consultation with parents and schools into the provision of such lessons.

lord agnew of oulton: The department is actively engaged in the situation at Parkfield Community School where parents are objecting to an educational programme, No Outsiders, which contains elements of teaching around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Parkfield Community School have stated that, as previously planned, there will be no further teaching of the No Outsiders programme for the remainder of the school term, and that they will be undertaking a consultation with parents during this time.Senior officials from the Regional School Commissioner’s Office have been on site regularly since the start of this issue and are working to facilitate conversations between the community, the academy and Excelsior Multi Academy Trust. They are already working closely with the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill, Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Education Partnership to resolve the conflict and, as such, end pupil absences as soon as possible.

Ministry of Justice

Young Offenders: Offences against Children

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017, published on 28 February.

lord keen of elie: The findings in the Inquiry’s report are shocking. The safety and welfare of children across all aspects of the youth justice system is a priority for government. We are already conducting an urgent review into safeguarding in the youth custodial estate and we have commissioned an independent review of pain inducing restraint techniques. We are also rolling out new specialist training and a specific qualification for staff working in the secure estate as part of a wide programme of reform, but we recognise further action is needed. We will carefully consider all the report’s recommendations and respond in due course.

Young Offenders: Offences against Children

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff members of (1) young offender institutions, and (2) secure training centres, have been dismissed since 2009 for reasons connected with the sexual abuse of children in these institutions.

lord keen of elie: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) centrally holds the data on conduct and disciplinary cases. The data includes sexual harassment/assault; however, it is not specifically recorded as sexual abuse of children. The data also could relate to sexual harassment against other staff or children in these settings. Between 2009/10 and 2017/18, there were fewer than 5 staff who had been dismissed for charges of ‘sexual harassment/assault’ in young offender institutions (Cookham Wood, Feltham, Wetherby, Werrington). There were no staff dismissed for ‘sexual harassment/assault’ in Parc YOI, or in Medway and Rainsbrook[1] Secure Training Centres (STCs). Between the period of 2009/10 and 2017/18, there has been fewer than 5 staff who had been dismissal at Oakhill STC for reasons connected with the sexual abuse of children. The safety, welfare and rehabilitation of young people in our care is the core priority of the Youth Custody Service and that is why we are fundamentally committed in reforming the youth custody service. HMPPS will not tolerate any form of abuse against the young people in our care and we will assist the police with their investigation into any allegation. 1 Since MTCnovo took over the contract at Rainsbrook STC in 2016 there has been no dismissals.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the National Audit Office, Transforming Rehabilitation: Progress review, published on 1 March 2019; what steps they intend to take in response; and what lessons they have learned from the report for policy-making and delivery across government.

lord keen of elie: The Government has been clear that there are important lessons to be learnt from the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, including around the commercial approach to contracted delivery of core services, the timescale for delivery, and the evaluation of strategic, operational and financial risks. The report recognises the strong performance of the National Probation Service in looking after our higher risk offenders. But the performance of the CRCs, which look after our lower risk offenders is too often deeply disappointing. The Government has acted decisively in response to issues with CRC performance by bringing forward the end of CRC contracts and consulting on a range of proposals to better integrate probation provision. We take seriously the findings of the National Audit Office report and are reflecting carefully on the recommendations as we develop our plans for future probation arrangements.

Prison and Probation Service: Billing

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 26 February (HL13741), what was the potential interest liability as a result of the invoices paid late by Her Majesty's Prison and Prohibition Service in 2017–18; how much interest was paid to suppliers as a result; whether that information is published online as required by section 113(7) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015; and if so, where.

lord keen of elie: The information requested in respect of the potential interest liability or amount of interest paid to suppliers in respect of late payment invoices could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not separately collate or calculate such information. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) publishes prompt payment data for the department in the procurement section of its gov.uk page. The most recent data and historic data can be found at these links: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement#prompt-payment-of-our-suppliers  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-payment-performance-data/ministry-of-justice-payment-performance-data MoJ is exploring an efficient method of gathering and publishing data regarding the amount of interest paid and any such interest potentially payable.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that freeholders replace combustible cladding on their properties; and whether they will provide funding to local authorities to carry out this work if freehold owners fail to do so.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government’s priority is to ensure that residents of high-rise (above 18 metres) buildings with unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems are safe.Ministers and officials continue to engage with developers, building owners and managing agents with responsibility for buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems to ensure that they are fully remediated as quickly as possible. We have written to all relevant private sector building owners reminding them of their responsibilities towards making their buildings safe, and the Secretary of State has set his strong expectation that leaseholders should be protected from the costs of remediation.We have reminded building owners that local authorities have powers to enforce these improvements if building owners do not take action and we are backing local authorities to take such enforcement action where building owners are refusing to remediate high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding. This will include financial support where this is necessary for the local authority to carry out emergency remedial work. We have also established a Joint Inspection Team to support local authorities and give them the confidence to pursue enforcement action.

High Rise Flats: Bromley

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will respond to the refusal of the freeholder of the Northpoint building in Bromley to pay for the replacement of combustible cladding on that building.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: I am very concerned about the position the residents at Northpoint find themselves in through no fault of their own, and I am disappointed that the freeholder has not yet committed to doing the right thing and protecting leaseholders from the costs of remediation. The Secretary of State has consistently set his strong expectation that costs should not be passed on to leaseholders, and he has written to the building owner and other parties at Northpoint to make clear that he expects them to fund the work. He has asked them to find an acceptable solution urgently. We are considering various options for ensuring costs are not passed on to leaseholders.

Stronger Towns Fund: Lancashire

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £281million allocated to the North West over seven years under the Stronger Towns Fund will be allocated to Lancashire; how the funding will be phased over the seven years; and how much will be allocated to (1) the County Council, (2) the two Unitary Authorities, and (3) the County Districts.

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether district councils in two-tier areas will be able to bid for funds from the £600million pot in the Stronger Towns Fund;and whether town and parish councils will be able to bid for any of this funding where they are the representative body which encompasses a town.

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether funding from the Stronger Towns Fund could be allocated to schemes for the restoration of railway lines and services, such as the link between the towns of Colne, Earby and Skipton.

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their definition of a town for the purpose of the Stronger Towns Fund; and what steps they will take to make sure that the relevant towns are involved closely in the decisions over the use of the Fund and in submissions for that part of the Fund for which bids will be invited.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: A prospectus for the Stronger Towns Fund will be published before the summer recess. It will detail the role of local partners, relevant definitions and eligibility criteria. This will also set out the process for the £600 million competitive component of the fund.

Housing: Environment Protection

the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support housing developers and homeowners to improve the environmental standards of new homes; and what steps they are taking to improve the environmental impact of existing housing stock.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: As set out in the Government's Clean Growth Strategy, we plan to consult in 2019 on an uplift to the energy efficiency requirements for new homes and other buildings where there are safe, practical, cost-effective and affordable opportunities to do so. We have built into the planning system, through the revised National Planning Policy Framework clear expectations on reducing emissions, adaptation, mitigation and resilience to climate change impacts.The Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings, and there are a number of policies in place to support this, including the Private Rented Sector Minimum Standard and the Energy Company Obligation scheme.In August 2018, the Government’s Social Housing Green Paper asked whether Government should consider changes to what constitutes a decent home, including considering whether criteria around energy performance is demanding enough and delivers the right standards in social housing. The consultation closed in November 2019 and we will publish a response in due course.

Local Government: Devolution

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extenddevolution to areas outside of established mayoral combined authorities; and to what extent their devolution framework will provide local government in all areas with the opportunity to secure devolution.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Across Government we are making huge strides towards rebalancing the economy and empowering local government. Devolution deals have supported this work by enabling the Government to strengthen local leadership and institutions, and devolving powers and funding away from Whitehall, so that they are exercised at the right spatial geography.The Government’s manifesto committed to "providing clarity across England on what devolution means for different administrations so all authorities operate in a common framework". We aim to be able to provide local areas with this clarity on how best to take forward their devolution and local growth ambitions as soon as practicable.

Stronger Towns Fund

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors will be taken into account by the relevant Secretary of State in considering the applications for the £1.6 billion Stronger Towns Fund announced on 5 March.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Stronger Towns Fund prospectus will be published before Summer recess. This will set out how local partners can bid in to the fund as well as detailing the role of local partners, relevant definitions and eligibility criteria.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Death

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the regional disparities within the UK for military deaths inquiries between 1990 and 2016, including the recognition given by the judiciary to such disparities; and (2) the impact of military deaths in Scotland not qualifying for mandatory fatal accident inquiries prior to 2017; and what plans they have to address any resulting issues identified.

earl howe: Inquests in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are carried out under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 respectively. Inquests are carried out where a death was sudden, and the cause is unknown, where someone has died an unnatural or violent death, or where someone has died in a place or circumstance where there is legal requirement to hold an inquest, for example in prison custody or whilst sectioned under the Mental Health Act. In Scotland fatal accident inquiries are carried out under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) is mandated by the 2016 Act in certain circumstances, including in respect of military deaths in Scotland. Under the previous legislation -the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976- an FAI was not mandatory for such deaths. The Ministry of Defence has not assessed the potential impact of different legislative regimes in place historically

Home Office

Slavery: Albania

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Albanian nationals who have received a positive conclusive grounds decision through the National Referral Mechanism have since (1) been repatriated, and (2) returned of their own volition to Albania.

baroness williams of trafford: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 18 March 2019.The correct answer should have been:

The Home Office engages closely with Local Authorities, through Strategic Migration Partnerships, on a regular basis to assess the effectiveness of asy-lum dispersal and discuss issues such as local cohesion. In addition, accommodation Providers must consult on every property that is to be used for asylum dispersal with Local Authorities who will assess its viability in relation to social cohesion, as well as a number of other factorsA governance structure has been established to facilitate a joint review into asylum dispersal which will be co-designed and co-produced by Local Au-thorities and the Home Office. The Home Office record the number of all individuals referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and this information is published Quarterly by the National Crime Agency. This information does not distinguish an individ-ual’s immigration status. The reason for this is two-fold, firstly because the NRM is not an immigration route by which individuals should regularise their stay in the United Kingdom and, secondly, because a person’s immigration status is not permanent and can change. Providing the information requested would therefore require a manual check of individual records which could only be done at disproportionate cost.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office engages closely with Local Authorities, through Strategic Migration Partnerships, on a regular basis to assess the effectiveness of asy-lum dispersal and discuss issues such as local cohesion. In addition, accommodation Providers must consult on every property that is to be used for asylum dispersal with Local Authorities who will assess its viability in relation to social cohesion, as well as a number of other factorsA governance structure has been established to facilitate a joint review into asylum dispersal which will be co-designed and co-produced by Local Au-thorities and the Home Office. The Home Office record the number of all individuals referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and this information is published Quarterly by the National Crime Agency. This information does not distinguish an individ-ual’s immigration status. The reason for this is two-fold, firstly because the NRM is not an immigration route by which individuals should regularise their stay in the United Kingdom and, secondly, because a person’s immigration status is not permanent and can change. Providing the information requested would therefore require a manual check of individual records which could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Demonstrations: Parliament Square

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for (1) public order, and (2) access to Parliament, government departments and health services, of protests by (a) taxi drivers, and (b)climate change protesters in Parliament Square in February.

baroness williams of trafford: The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police, who keep the implications of specific protests under continual review to ensure proportionate policing plans are in place.

Shamima Begum

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the removal of British citizenship from Shamima Begum hasput the UK in breach of international law; and if so, whatsteps they intend to take to rectify the situation.

baroness williams of trafford: We do not comment on individual cases.Decisions to deprive individuals of their citizenship are taken in accordance with UK law and our international obligations under the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Knives: Crime

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the introduction of emergency measures in England and Wales to deal with knife crime.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government is already taking a wide range of urgent measures to tack-le knife crime. In April 2018, the Government published the Serious Violence Strategy that set out action being taken to address serious violence and in particular the recent increases in knife crime, gun crime and homicide. This set out 61 commitments that the Government will be is taking forward to tackle violent crime. This includes new legislation in the Offensive Weapons Bill, currently in the House of Lords, strengthening police capability to act against violent crime, and a strong focus on prevention and early intervention to stop more working with young people to encourage them to take up positive activities rather than getting involved in crime, including serious violence. The Bill is also introducing new Knife Crime Prevention Orders.Alongside the legislative measures in the Bill we are taking forward a number of other actions including a national knife crime media campaign - #knifefree - supporting intervention work in Hospital A&E departments by expanding our support to Redthread to introduce its youth violence intervention work to include in hospitals in Birmingham and Nottingham, as well as in London, to work with young people admitted with knife wounds. In May 2018, we launched a new round of the anti-knife crime Community Fund as part of the Government’s commitment to early intervention and prevention to tackle serious violence. We announced the successful 68 projects in bids on 2 August 2018 with total who are receiving funding of £1.5 million in total, to support grass roots projects focused on prevention and early intervention.In addition, the Government continues to encourage police forces to undertake a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. The operation includes targeted stop and searches, weapon sweeps of hotspot areas, test purchases of knives from retailers, and educational events. The week commencing 17 September 2018 marked the most recent week of action under Operation Sceptre, and it is expected that the next phase will take place from 11-17 March.Last October the Home Secretary announced further measures to address violent crime including a consultation on new legal duty to underpin a ‘public health’ approach to tackling serious violence, a new £200 million youth endowment fund and an Independent review of drug misuse.We have made significant progress in delivering on our key commitments including:• a new £22m Early Intervention Youth Fund to support communities for early intervention and prevention with young people;• a new £3.6m National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle violent and exploitative criminal activity associated with county lines. The NCLCC has co-ordinated two separate weeks of intensive • law enforcement action which has led to more than 1,000 arrests, over 1300 individuals safeguarded, and significant seizures of weapons and drugs;• the Offensive Weapons Bill, currently in the House of Lords, is also introducing new Knife Crime Prevention Orders;• £1.4m to support a new national police capability to tackle gang related activity on social media which will be fully operational later this year;• established a cross party, cross sector, Serious Violence Taskforce which is chaired by the Home Secretary to oversee and drive this critical programme of work• We have also agreed a set of commitments with major retailers to prevent the underage sales of knives more generally in their stores and online. The agreement also covers staff training and displays and packag-ing. Tesco, eBay UK, Lidl UK, Amazon UK, Wilko, Argos, Asda, Pound-land, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and Waitrose have all signed up to the principles. They have since been joined by Boots, the Co-op, B&Q, Aldi, TKMaxx and Debenhams. In addition, as part of the Serious Violence Strategy we will support Trading Standards if they decide to prosecute a case in court through a specific prosecution fundIn addition, the following measures are being introduced:• a new £200 million youth endowment fund. This will be delivered over 10 years and will support interventions with children and young peo-ple at risk of involvement in crime and violence. It will focus on those most at risk, such as those displaying signs such as truancy, aggression and involvement in anti-social behaviour; funding interventions to steer children and young people away from becoming serious offenders. In December 2018, we launched the bidding process to choose an organisation or consortium that will run and administer the fund. The deadline for submissions was 23 January and we are now assessing the bids received; and,• an Independent review of drug misuse, which is being led by Dame Carol Black. This will ensure law enforcement agencies and policy are targeting and preventing the drug-related causes of violent crime effectively. Drugs have been identified as a major driver of serious violence and this review will look at recreational drug use, as well as considering use by the small number of users who cause the most harm to themselves and their communities.

Gangs: Children

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to respond to the reports of criminal gangs grooming children for unlawful activity; and what extra protection is proposed for vulnerable groups of young children.

baroness williams of trafford: Tackling county lines and gang related child criminal exploitation is a priority for the Government.Our Serious Violence Strategy, published last April, sets out a strong focus on early intervention and prevention, and is delivering a number of commitments to support children who are vulnerable to or caught up in gang activity. This includes supporting 29 projects in England and Wales through the £22m Early Intervention Youth Fund to deliver interventions to young people at risk of criminal involvement, gang exploitation and county lines.The Government has provided £3.6m to establish the new National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) to enhance our cross border intelligence and activity on county lines and to better safeguard and protect victims of county lines. Work is ongoing to protect the exploited and target the offenders, and in two separate weeks of operational intensification coordinated by the NCLCC there have been over 1,100 arrests and over 1,300 individuals safeguarded. In addition, in October 2018 the Home Secretary also announced a new £200 million youth endowment fund to be delivered over 10 years which will support interventions with children and young people at risk of involvement in crime and violence.  We already work closely with organisations such as Redthread and the St Giles Trust, who intervene with young people at the “teachable moment” and we have provided funding to enable Redthread to carry out their youth violence interventions in London, Nottingham and Birmingham.  Tackling serious violence and protecting those vulnerable to it requires a multi-agency response. That is why we will shortly consult on a new legal duty to support a multi-agency approach which will make preventing and tackling serous violence a top priority for key partners.  The Home Office is also working closely with the Department for Education to support young people excluded from school who are at risk of involvement in serious violence. In addition, the Department for Education are providing £2m for a new national response unit to be established and operate between 2019 and 2022. The new unit will provide bespoke support to local areas to help vulnerable children at risk of exploitation by criminal gangs.

Private Rented Housing: Undocumented Migrants

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to the High Court judgment that the Right to Rent scheme is discriminatory and incompatible with the right to freedom from discrimination enshrined in Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government disagrees with the High Court’s findings and has been granted permission to appeal the judgment on all grounds. In the meantime, the provisions passed by this House in 2014 remain in force. There are no immediate changes to the operation of the policy. Landlords and letting agents are still obliged to conduct Right to Rent checks as required in legislation.The law is absolutely clear that landlords should not discriminate when carrying out right to rent checks in compliance with the 2014 Act.We are looking at options for a further evaluation of the operation of the scheme. As part of this, we will look to develop further mechanisms to monitor the operation of the Scheme to provide ongoing assurance about its impact.The Home Secretary has written to the independent adviser on lessons learned from Windrush, Wendy Williams, to draw her attention to the High Court’s findings.The Right to Rent Consultative Panel will meet again next month to look at the operation of the Scheme and the guidance provided to landlords and lettings agents.

Domestic Abuse

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to the victims of domestic abuse posed by the number of suspects in such cases being released on conditional police bail but not being banned from approaching victims on release.

baroness williams of trafford: Pre-charge bail, including the use of conditions to protect domestic abuse and other victims, continues to be available where it is necessary and proportionate. Decisions on pre-charge bail are operational matters for individual police forces, however the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has developed further operational guidance for officers concerning the reforms to pre-charge bail. We will continue to monitor the impact on victims of domestic abuse through the National Oversight Group on domestic abuse, chaired by the Home Secretary and work with the police to provide further clarity as appropriate.Our landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill and consultation response published in January includes further measures to help the police tackle domestic abuse, including the creation of a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice and Order and training for police.

Companies: Crown Dependencies

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce measures to improve the transparency of company ownership in the Crown Dependencies.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office leads on the Government’s relationship with the Crown Dependencies on beneficial ownership. The Crown Dependencies have confirmed they will develop public registers of company beneficial ownership once it has been established as a global norm. In October 2018 the Government launched an international beneficial ownership transparency campaign to shift global norms by encouraging and supporting more countries to implement free to access and publicly available company beneficial ownership registers by 2023. In line with this campaign, the Government will encourage the Crown Dependencies to voluntarily introduce measures to improve the transparency of their company ownership. It is important to note that the Crown Dependencies are not part of the UK. They are self-governing Dependencies of the Crown with their own legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems and courts of law.

Drugs: Crime

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the use of social media and encrypted messaging apps to supply and access illegal drugs.

baroness williams of trafford: It is unacceptable and irresponsible for tech companies to allow criminals to exploit their services and we expect companies to take action and report illegal activity to the policeA robust law enforcement response is a fundamental part of the Government's drug strategy and we are taking coordinated action to tackle illegal drugs alongside associated criminal activity. Law enforcement agencies continue to work with internet service providers to shut down UK-based websites found to be committing offences such as selling drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.The joint Home Office and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Online Harms White Paper will be published shortly, setting out how we will tackle online harms and set clear responsibilities for tech companies to keep UK citizens safe.

Cabinet Office

Political Parties: Finance

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey havereceived from the Electoral Commission concerning the implementation of section 10 the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009; and what was their response.

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of (1) implementing section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009, and (2) extending permanently the capacity of UK citizens living abroad to make large donations to the parties, on the financing of political parties.

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to restrict donations to political parties from people living in tax havens and paying lower rates of tax than donors to political parties who pay full rates of tax.

lord young of cookham: The Coalition Government took the decision not to implement the 2009 legislation, as it was not deemed to be workableDuring the passage of the 2009 Act, the Electoral Commission raised concerns about the legislation (further to Official Report, House of Commons, 15 October 2009, Col. 998W), and in 2013, the Electoral Commission also flagged issues about the tax status declaration requirements. The Labour Government conceded that the provisions could not be commenced at that time “due to their complex nature” (as outlined in the answer of Official Report, House of Commons, 10 March 2010, Col. 5MC)The UK has a robust legal framework in place that bans foreign donations.There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register, and this includes UK citizens who are registered overseas electors. Companies wishing to make donations must be UK-registered and carrying on business in the UKIf a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, they should also be able to donate to that political party, subject to the requirements for transparency on donations. Supporting a political party is part of the democratic process, and is an expression of freedom of associationSince the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis of enfranchisement in the UK. Those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but still have the right to vote in local electionsMore broadly, since 2010, the Government has taken action to sanction and deter those involved in offshore evasion, including creating a new criminal offence for serious offshore evasion, and introducing penalties for those who deliberately help others to evade tax offshore. The Government has introduced over 100 new measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.

Elections: British Nationals Abroad

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the 15 year limit in which UK citizens living abroad can remain on UK constituency electoral registers and make donations to political parties.

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for permanently extending voting rights for UK citizens living abroad beyond the present 15 year limit, whilst not extending the 15 year limit in which they are able to remain on constituency electoral registers and make large donations to political parties.

lord young of cookham: The Government is supporting Glyn Davies MP’s Private Members’ Bill on overseas electors. The Overseas Electors Bill, if it receives Parliamentary approval, would fulfill our Manifesto commitment to implementing votes for life ahead of the next General Election in 2022. The Bill would scrap the arbitrary rule that prevents British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from participating in UK parliamentary electionsThe law clearly states that donations over £500 to political parties and campaigners can only be accepted from individuals who are on the UK electoral register. The Overseas Electors Bill will not change this principle that overseas electors can donate. If a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, we consider that they should also be able to donate to that political party.

Brexit

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Young of Cookham on 13 March (HL14378), where in the public domain the information requested can be found.

lord young of cookham: I refer the Noble Lord to my previous answer HL14378, which stated that this information is not held centrallyThe Prime Minister’s contributions in the House of Commons are recorded in Hansard and speeches made outside of parliament are published on gov.uk. The Government does not hold a complete record of media interviews or public statements conducted by the Prime Minister.

Ministers: Correspondence

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is guidance indicating the period within which ministers must answer correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers; and if so, within what period of time they advise that ministers should provide such answers.

lord young of cookham: The Cabinet Office issues guidance to all Government departments on the handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Administrations. The most recent edition was issued in March 2016 and is publicly available on Gov.uk.All departments should set targets for replying to correspondence from MPs and Peers. These targets (which may be different to the targets set for other types of correspondence) will be published in the annual correspondence report coordinated by the Cabinet Office. Individual departments' targets for routine correspondence from MPs should be a maximum of 20 working days, and the Cabinet Office encourages departments to consider setting themselves more challenging targets. When calculating the target date for reply, the clock should start the day after the correspondence was received.

Treasury

Brexit: Northern Ireland

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources they have allocated for the purposes of preparing for Brexit to (1) Northern Ireland departments, and (2) local authorities in Northern Ireland; and how much they have allocated in each case.

lord bates: The Devolved Administrations are receiving their share of additional EU Exit funding in devolved areas through the Barnett Formula. Through this process the Northern Ireland Block Grant has been allocated £2.3m in 2017-18, £15.2m in 2018-19 and £20.4m in 2019-20. It is for the Northern Ireland Administration to determine allocations to individual departments and local authorities in Northern Ireland. In addition to this Barnett-based funding, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has received a further £16.5m in 2019-20 to reflect additional needs.

Credit: Interest Charges

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that some people who have used credit to buy their cars are being overcharged on interest payments; and how they are working with financial regulators to help address this issue.

lord bates: On 1 April 2014 the Government transferred regulatory responsibility for consumer credit from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Government has given the FCA robust powers to protect consumers and supports the work undertaken by the FCA to reduce consumer harm in this sector. In 2017 the FCA announced a review of the motor finance sector, publishing its final findings in March 2019. In their report, the FCA expressed concern about the extent to which broker discretion is allowed over interest rates in certain commission structures and said that they are considering possible responses, such as strengthening existing provisions and banning certain commission structures. Treasury ministers and officials meet regularly with the FCA, and the government will continue to work closely with the FCA to ensure all customers are treated fairly.